Paleo Mayonnaise

One of the first things you tend to do when starting Paleo is to clear out the cupboards of all the refined and processed foods that you are no longer able to eat. It is often then the simple every day items that people miss the most such as mayonnaise and ketchup. Prior to starting Paleo you would most likely not have given it a second thought as you use these condiments often on a daily basis.

The good news is that you don’t have to cut out condiments completely. You just need to make them from scratch with Paleo friendly ingredients and as a result you will find a tastier and healthier version. Homemade Paleo mayonnaise and ketchup taste delicious and will soon become firm family favourites.

The great thing about mayonnaise is that the basic ingredients are Paleo friendly and by making it at home you are simply avoiding the preservatives and processed oils that are used in mass production. Making your own Paleo mayonnaise is so simple, once you have tried it you will be wondering why you didn’t start doing this years ago. You should also take a look at my recipe for homemade tomato ketchup and my article on Top 5 Paleo Condiments may also be useful.

Paleo Mayonnaise…

I use either walnut oil or avocado oil to make my Paleo mayonnaise. If I want the finished product to be lighter in colour then I would use walnut oil as this comes out very similar to the colour of the shop bought options that you will be used to. If I use avocado oil it comes out with a yellow tinge and has a deeper flavour. If you are not able to get hold of avocado oil or walnut oil then you can use extra virgin olive oil and it will still taste amazing. I also add a small amount of Dijon mustard to the recipe, this helps to add flavour and assists in emulsifying the mayonnaise.

You will notice that your homemade mayonnaise is never quite as white as the shop bought alternatives; although you can get very close with walnut oil. The mass produced versions use industrial machines for mixing and use whole eggs (not just egg yolks) along with water and vegetable oil and often use very little olive oil which creates the white mayonnaise that you are used to seeing in the supermarkets. If you use a blender to mix your Paleo mayonnaise you may find that it comes out lighter but with hand mixing you will get a darker, richer colour depending on which oil you are using.

The Paleo mayonnaise should be stored in an air tight container in the fridge. You may find that it separates slightly once left in the fridge overnight, this is normal and you just need to give it a good stir and it will be fine.